Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – June 6, 2021
Will the Blues trade Vladimir Tarasenko or Vince Dunn this summer? What could the Flames get for Sean Monahan? Check out the latest speculation in the Sunday NHL rumor roundup.
WILL TARASENKO OR DUNN HIT THIS SUMMER’S TRADE BLOCK?
THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford was asked if St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong will consider trading Vladimir Tarasenko during a mailbag segment last week.
St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko (NHL Images).
He believes Armstrong will gauge Tarasenko’s trade value this summer. The 29-year-old winger has two years remaining on his contract with an annual salary-cap hit of $7.5 million and they need more production from him.
Tarasenko could improve with more playing time following his third shoulder surgery. However, if the Blues opt for a more hardworking, blue-collar lineup, they might feel it’s time to go in a different direction. Tarasenko might feel the same way.
If Armstrong feels Tarasenko cannot help the Blues, he’ll have to find a “hockey trade” because the Blues would benefit from a player or players at the equivalent of $7.5 million who can play within their system. Rutherford points out Tarasenko’s no-trade clause gives him some control here.
STLTODAY.COM: Jeff Gordon believes Tarasenko’s salary, shoulder surgeries and declining production will have limited appeal in this summer’s trade market. “Only a moron would pay a premium for him while assuming his injury risk and cap hit,” said Gordon. He did, however, acknowledge Armstrong got the Philadelphia Flyers to take “The Ghost of Jori Lehtera” for Brayden Schenn.
Armstrong’s more realistic trade chips include Vince Dunn, Zach Sanford, Ivan Barbashev, Robert Thomas, Jake Walman, Scott Perunovich and Klim Kostin. Gordon also speculates the Blues GM could be willing to part with premium draft picks while trying to get his talented nucleus back into the Stanley Cup chase.
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports Vince Dunn is drawing trade interest around the league. There was a time earlier in the year when the Blues were thinking about moving him and were asking for a first-round pick.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: We can’t rule out a Tarasenko trade but I wouldn’t anticipate it for the reasons cited by Gordon. He could be exposed in the expansion draft but those aforementioned factors could scare off the Seattle Kraken.
Dunn, on the other hand, seems the more likely trade candidate. The Blues were looking into moving him back in January but nothing came of it, perhaps because teams weren’t willing to part with a first-round pick.
At the time, I suggested the Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Ottawa Senators and Winnipeg Jets as potential destinations for Dunn. Maybe those clubs will be among the suitors.
If that move happens it’ll likely be near the July 23-24 NHL draft weekend. I daresay we’ll hear his name come up more frequently in the rumor mill over the next several weeks.
WHAT COULD THE FLAMES GET IN RETURN FOR MONAHAN?
THE ATHLETIC: Hailey Salvian was asked by a reader last week what kind of player the Calgary Flames could get in a one-for-one trade of Sean Monahan.
She isn’t certain what the return would be at this point, suggesting his value falls between what he was in 2018-19 and what we’ve seen in the last two years. The 26-year-old center’s recovery from recent hip surgery could be a factor. However, it’s not a big red flag because he’s expected to be ready in time for training camp.
The decline in his production over the last two seasons would have an effect on his trade value. His contract ($6.375 million AAV through 2022-23, modified no-trade clause) could also be a sticking point.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trading Monahan also leaves a void at center that the Flames could struggle to fill. There’s also the risk of trading him this summer only to see him bounce back with another club while the Flames get a pittance in return.
Trading Monahan could be among the Flames’ options as management considers shaking things up following the disappointments of the last three seasons. Nevertheless, it wouldn’t surprise me if they stick with him for one more season and see where things stand after that.
Winnipeg badly needs Dunn and the Flames, like the Pens need an overhaul … Hextall is going to keep the core together which is disappointing but you Flames fans still have hope for a dismantling … the problem is that Brad Treliving will be in charge of it …
I don’t see Vince Dunn playing , does anybody know how or why he went from stud to dud in one year.
Did his game fall off or is it just the Blues asking too much?
The jets wont trade for Dunn, Montreal is giving them exactly what they deserve. after all the crap oiler fans have taken from posters like Hunter368 on hfboards, he’s still acting high and mighty
as our own Chaotic Orange says “when the chickens come home to roost, he’ll be denying they didnt really lose.”
of course they need Dunn but they’ll never admit it.Winnipeg wouldnt pay for Savard when he was available and it shows. Morrissey is the only Dman worth anything on the jets and Dunn really is needed
Ottawa respectfully declines any overtures from St. Loo for Dunn. He’d be so far down the D pecking order he’d be buried in Belleville.
I was thinking the exact same thing George. Where does Dunn line up in the long run? Even the short run? If Mete is resigned than we already have Docker/Brown/Any UFA Signed competing for ONE roster spot next season.
Add to that we have Docker, Thomson, Sanderson, and a few other good D in our system with Chabot, Brannstrom, & Zub all with top 4 spots on lock. Where does Dunn fit? If Ottawa trades for a D, it will only be for a top pairing RD guy to play with Chabot. Dunn doesn’t fit the bill.
And, JBB, don’t forget Zaitsev. He’s been generally good since coming over from Toronto, with back-to-back seasons of – considering the overall team performance, -8 and -13 while saddled with some pedestrian partners along the way like Goloubef, Lajoie, Hainsy, Coburn, Gudbranson.
Josh Brown is another who, after a shaky start where he was clearly having difficulty adjusting to a new system and unfamiliar partner (including a couple from the above list here and there) but became a much more solid presence over the second half of a short season, finishing up at -1.
Neither contributes much offense but have turned out to be steady alongside the more “offensive” types like Chabot and Brannstrom.
I have no doubt that one of them will be moved as and when Sanderson arrives and Bernard-Docker settles into a regular role. Nor have I forgotten Alsing who’s getting high praise from Mann for his improved performance in Belleville.
You are wrong there George , Dunn would be top 6 in Ottawa. Much better d-man than Mete, Brown. JBD needs a year in Belleville.
Sure, and you base that on what exactly?
Tarasenko for JVR
salaries are close and they get a bigger body and we get a goal scorer.
Monahan, Valimaki, and a first for Jones.
Flames would have to be able to sign Jones to a 7 year contract in the 8.5 – 9 range.
Columbus gets a center they desperately need plus a very good young defensman and a high draft pick.
Of course this deal is off if the Flames can’t sign Jones.
In addition to that trade, send Tkachuk to Buffalo for Eichel
I can see the Sabers all over that. When can a team ever have an opportunity to trade for a guy who’s struggling and would need to be re-upped at $9m as his rfa contract QO has to be… so basically no savings off the cap for a far inferior player. Sign me up!
Good Ron, Eichel has a serious neck injury and has done nothing but complain. All the steps the Sabres have taken to appease Jack including getting rid of Ryan O’Reilly, coaching changes, GM changes, Skinner & Hall acquisitions and others in with no success, make me hesitant to trade for him.
He is a career -69 and has never played in the playoffs. He was injured most of last season and has still not recovered. Why would we want to trade our best player + for him?
Habfan, I don’t know much about Dunn either, except from what I read here. My opinion is his name surfaced last off season based on him being a rfa and Blues having little cap space. He signed for another year and is rfa again. Everyone here seemed to like him and had him going everywhere in trade rumors. Blues now showing over 15m in cap space with a roster of 20. So I don’t see why Dunn, Thomas, or Kostin would be rumored at all. All good young players and unless there’s a locker room issue, why would you trade them?
Add in the fact that Dunn would likely be lost to the Kraken – Faulk, Krug and Parayko would be protected before him – and you see why he’d likely be traded.
I hope the Habs go after him. They desperately need a young, mobile, puck-moving LD. True, Edmundson and Chiarot have played well in the playoffs, but the fact remains that the team cannot have two stay-at-home types as their top two LD. Chiarot is quite likely to wind up in Seattle anyway.
If the Habs hang on and beat the Jets, their first rounder this year will be no better than no. 28. At that spot, finding a solid NHLer would be no better than 50-50. I’d offer up that pick and a solid D prospect, such as Fleury, Brook, Harris, Norlinder or Struble.
As for Tarasenko, his huge cap hit and recent injury history would make him nearly impossible to trade.
Howard. Faulk and Parayko are both RD. Krug, Scandella and Dunn lefties. They might have to go the other route with their protection list. None of their forwards have nmc’s. Team missed playoffs and might want to start looking to the future. Try and dump an older guy with bigger cap hit.
Slick62 – St. Loo didn’t miss the playoffs – in fact they won the first 2 games over Colorado before losing in 6.
Slick,
Parayko and Krug are going nowhere – they’re the Blues top D-men. Faulk and Scandella have contracts that’ll be hard to trade. Dunn is the likeliest to be traded.
George,
The Blues did make the playoffs, but the Avs took them out 4 straight. And none of the games were particularly close.
Yup. Lol. That they did Howard. When I looked up St. L vs Colorado they gave me another year’s results and, without paying attention, I just took that as the latest results. But hey, I was right in one regard – they DID make the playoffs!
Sorry George. They went out so quick I forgot they where in. I still would be hesitant to trade away younger players.
Howard, Blues should maybe consider not protecting Krug. Maybe giving him that deal was a mistake?
I’m guessing Rangers will go all out on Eichel, but if Buffalo keeps him I think they’d be interested in Monahan as well. They need another center. There’s no guarantee that they keep Zibinejad. He’ll be 30 when he starts next deal and it will depend on what he’s looking for next off season as far as cap hit and length of deal. Rangers currently don’t really have anything other than Zib that is a future 1C. As far as Calgary, havnt they already made Lindholm a center? They’ve also drafted a couple of centers on 1st round last couple of years.
Sabres might be interested in Monahan for Sam Reinhart but it would need to include an “a” prospect like Pelletier or Zary.
No thanks G-Man.
Sorry g-man
There is no way the flames do that deal
It would have to be the other way around Reinhart plus a top prospect for Monahan, even then I don’t think the flames would be interested.
I would much rather the rangers go after Monahan.
Seth Jones :
Dubais has passion , giving away first rounders ..
Offer 7 first founders , although , that is on hold pattern , as per the brilliant Foligno deal , for the 2021 pick …
Include Marner , Leafs have cap issues , and Mariners albatross contract would solidify the cap situation plus some bonus bucks remaining !!!
Marc Bergevin Will definitely take a long look at Nugent- Hopkins this summer. If that doesn’t work out though; I can see him considering Monahan in exchange for Drouin (who can play center or wing) both have declined and are recovering from injuries. Perhaps the change of scenery does them both well and their cap hits are comparable. Don’t count Seattle out of any trade mix as they have a floor cap to hit and teams may be willing to entice with extras to drop a cap problem.
So, Andy,
With Danault, Kotkaniemi, Suzuki and Evans currently playing,
with Poehling and Vejdemo ready to move up,
with KK due a raise this year and Suzuki the next,
with a flat Cap forecast for the next 2-3 years,
you think the Habs should add a $6.4 million contract for another C?
A C who is coming off hip surgery, at that?
I disagree, respectfully but vociferously.
rich
I’d do a Drouin for Monahan trade in a heartbeat, one for one or with the 3rd rounder sweetener.
Cap hit for Drouin and Monahan is almost the same
Monahan -6.375 to 2022-2033
Drouin – 5,5 to 2022-2023
It’s a gamble but Seguin, Kucherov, and Pastrnak are playing after hip surgery.
The Habs played most of the season without Drouin and can take the time needed for a Monahan recovery.
Flames will NEVER go for it.
I’m confident Danault stays with the Habs. That’ll give them Suzuki, KK and Danault down the middle. Solid enough. The Habs will need a winger who can contribute offensively because Tatar will not be back and Drouin possibly not either.
Habfan
I find it interesting how people want to dump their slugs for top line players
Drouin for Monahan, is laughable
Keep dreaming.
I don’t know what his off-ice issues are, or whether they’re the type that adversely affected his play, in both Tampa and Montreal, but I do know that he’s nowhere near the same dynamic player he was alongside MacKinnon in Halifax. I saw quite a bit of both in games here against Gatineau (mostly on TV) so before someone suggests it was MacKinnon that made him effective, according to my observations and someone I know in Nova Scotia who saw a LOT of both with the Mooseheads, it was generally the other way around.
In 3 seasons with Halifax Drouin played 128 regular season games, scoring 77g 165a 242 pts and, in 50 playoff games, had34g 68a 102 pts.
At the under 20 Worlds he played in 13 games scoring 5g 8 13 pts.
MacKinnon – obviously no slouch either – played 102 regular season games scoring 63 times with 90 assists – 153 pts and, in 34 playoff games had 24g 37a 61 pts – both of those seasons he played alongside Drouin.
At the world under 20 he played 6 games with 0g 3a 3pts
Drouin got off on a bad foot with Tampa and, after the trade, seemed to be bothered by the notion that Montreal got hosed in giving up that big Russian D-man. Then there was the endless experiment by the Montreal coaching staff to turn him into a C. None of this helped the kid develop.
I hope he can turn things around and resume his career – somewhere.
Low first is a possible for Dunn or 2nd plus B prospect since his stock has fallen.
If you want Monahan for Drouin you need to add a sweetener like at least a 3rd round pick
Rangers should offersheet Pettersson at somewhere below 10,9 times 5 years, its only 2 firsts+2nd+3rd, much cheaper than Eichel trade. Better character, not as dynamic but better 2 way profile and younger
Kent, I’ve seen that suggested. Can’t see Vancouver not matching any offer sheet. As well as that, player would need to agree on an offer sheet. Havnt seen any signs that Pettersson wants out. Friedman reported yesterday that Buffalo could move Eichel soon and cost won’t be as high as most report. Seems Sabres are eager to punt this medical standoff to someone else. I’ve said before… Reinhart is a guy teams should talk to as far as an offer sheet.
If Im a GM and I want to sign Pettersson Id offer sheet Hughes first. Canucks would be forced to match which erases their limited cap room.
Then Id offer sheet the player I actually want (Pettersson) and Vancouver would likely be unable to match.
(Im not sure if Hughes is eligible to be offer sheeted though).
Kent, if the Flames can’t do better than Drouin and a 3rd, they should just keep him. This past season is his first ever to not score 22 or more goals, and he played a good part of the season with a bad hip injury.
Mony has scored 30+ three times and 27 twice. Guys that can score like him are not easy to find. I expect with the surgery he will bounce back nicely.
Didn’t Doug Armstrong have to give the Philadelphia Flyers TWO first round draft picks to take “The Ghost of Jori Lehtera” for Brayden Schenn???
The Blues my team but this turned out to be a pretty even trade according to The Hockey Writers.com: https://thehockeywriters.com/flyers-brayden-schenn-trade-revisited/
Buyer beware of Dunn. Why have (Blues) they been trying to unload him for the last year? (as it’s been reported) There are PMD out there to be had.
If Drouin can’t get motivated in Montreal, how is a change of scenery going to fix him?
Tarasenko? count on him to miss 50% of every season he plays.
Detroit’s has the picks to offer a second and a mid tier prospect for Tarasenko and see if Armstrong likes
Detroit can make use of their cap space wisely and picks to advanced to team dynamic. Tarasenko not elite anymore due to health but can compliment the young roster just nicely and show fans Stevie is trying to get them better on all fronts
Anyone watching the furious Isles-Bruins series?
Watching these teams go all out just shows how little heart the Leafs have.
Funny, but I wonder how Matt Martin and Uncle Leo feel. Both were discarded by Dubas.
And yet here’s is Martin skating on hockey’s best 4 th line and Uncle Leo playing the role of Anders Lee, with the Wizard of Nassau Coliseum.
Funny because Martin and Leo are all HEART.
Something the Leafs seriously need and yet threw away.
Don’t forget Connor Brown, Nazem Kadri … and they’re about to lose Zach Hyman – none of whom leave anything on the ice.
You could be right but my memory of Martin in Toronto was that he was massively overpaid.
George, love Conner Brown, so happy he and the rest of Team Canada won gold today after an 0-3 start – what a finish!
You could say Kadri’s trade was to some extent self-inflicted so things aren’t quite as black and white as they have been described.
BCLeafFan, despite the brain farts I’d still take Kadri in a flash in Ottawa. Colorado is missing him in this round with Vegas.
Even with his playoff suspension history he compares quite favorably in stats with the $25 mil duo … and is a whole lot harder to play against
Kadri – 36gp 12g 17a 29 pts
Matthews – 32gp 13g 11a 24 pts
Marner – 32gp 5g 20 25 pts
It isn’t too late for him to learn to control those primal instincts
Nevinsrip
Dubais is an arrogant “ass”
Board of directors may or may not have the leniency for 1 more kick at the can .
What can Leaf management possibly do , in the off season to make a significant difference !
Again , mgmt and coaching – Islanders are a prime example !
Trots and Lou …
Everyone wrote them off, after the loss of Tavares .
Turns out that for Johnny, it was all about the money.
What’s Craig Simpson going to do with himself if the Habs win game 3 tonight????
He might start joint therapy with Galley as things just aren’t going their way